Left Behind by Jerry B. Jenkins, Tim Lahaye (1996, Paperback)

What if everything written in the Bible is true and you've never accepted that truth? This is the beginning in a series that explores, based on the Book of Revelation in the Bible, what happens when earth, as we know it, begins to end. Great characters, intense story lines, extremely well written. You won't want to put it down, and when you do, you'll run out for the next book in the series.

BOOK: Left Behind by Jerry B. Jenkins, Tim Lahaye
Ten years have past since Dr. Tim Le Haye & Jerry B. Jenkins first published Left Behind. It became wildly popular & they continued the story into a whole series of books. I think there are currently 12 books to the set. This one started the whole thing. Based on interpretation of the Book of Revelation from the Bible, Left Behind is the story of the beginning of the end of the world as we know it. The books tells us the details of the rapture of the church & the beginning of the great tribulation. With the rapture, people all over the world suddenly disappear. Cars crash, airplanes go unpiloted, families are left behind. Those Left Behind are wondering what in the world is going on. We are introduced to Rayford Steele, who will become the "hero" if you will of the series. His wife had warned him about the rapture, but he took no heed. She is now gone along with their young son. His daughter Chloe is left behind also. Lots of suspense , & action will definately hold your attention, It is hard to put the book down. Popular with Christians & non Christians alike. I am sure if you read it you will enjoy it & want to continue the series. Happy Reading!

I love most of Tim Lahaye's work but these books just don't cut the mustard.

I know I'm going against the grain here, but I just have to say my piece on these books.

I've read all of them and would only recommend them to Christians that are strong in the faith. And even then, I would have to say Christians can find a better way to spend their time!

The reason that I don't recommend them to non-Christians or teen-agers is that Mr. Lahaye and Mr. Jenkins with their heroes, tend to glorify the end times. I can just picture a non-christian reading these books and thinking, Oh, I can wait, no need to be saved now, I'll make it through the end times...

I must say that both authors are very imaginative and creative with their interpretation of Revelation and Daniel, even though I don't agree with said interpretations.

In fact, parts of the books are downright silly.. I won't say more except I did actually laugh out load in the last book (Glorious Appearing) when all the fattened animals lined up to be slaughtered!

Mr Lahaye needs to stick to non fiction and Mr. Jenkins does much better with his books on marriage and family! God Bless them both!

Nothing short of amazing how many people could actually waste however long it would take them to digest all this garbage...

Wow! Not being much into religion, my Baptist raised husband insist I read this book.

I could not put it down. Never mind that its based on the book of Revelations in the New Testament. This was a well written book. The story line is easy to follow, the characters are well developed. Seldom a dull moment in the book, and when there was one I believe it was strategically placed allowing the reader to replay the last couple of pages in their mind while still reading.

I also recommend this book for those who have trouble understanding the New Testament. While your interpretation of the Bible might be different, it definately helps to decipher the Bible!

This book will definately leave you wanting to read the rest of the series. I recommend buying the first couple in the series. Its hard to stop once you get started.

I read this book to see what all the talk was about.
I was very disappointed. The writing was horrible and the characters were boring. Save your money and just watch the 700 Club.

I love this book and the series. Well written, keeps you wanting to find out more of what is going to happen with the next books. Wish they would make another movie. Left Behind captures what is going to happen in the last days as described in Revelations. Excellent reading.

Even if you have never read revelation or if you know it - read this book. It is a real explanation of what is going to happen when Christ returns. It is an easy read that you won't want to put down and you will enjoy! Action and adventure through out! Edge of your seat reading!

Make sure everyone you know reads this book- one day this book will make sense to those who are "Left Behind".

I've just started this series after hearing about it for years (?). This book is a very accurate telling of what will happen immediately after the Rapture. A lot of people are going to be surprised at being left behind - but these will be the ones who come to Christ FIRST and who will preach to the ones who have never heard or never listened, so PRAY for them in advance of the event. This is an awfully scary series as it is based on TRUE events. I have found new insight into the book of Revelations as this is a story form and explains some of the hard to explain events that happen in the Bible or lets you see a possible modern day happening of what is described in the book. I recommend this book mostly for non-believers. All believers out there should purchase copies of this book for their lost loved ones and friends. I am passing on my copy to my sisters then on to other friends. Fortunately they are saved and we will all be spared the tribulation, but it is nice to know that those left behind (or at least those who are not killed in planes/wrecks/etc.) will have a SECOND CHANCE - I think that would have been a good name for the second novel! I can't wait to read the rest of the series. I pray that everyone who reads this review will read the book with an open mind, then go to the Bible and see that it is true. It is my profound hope that this wonderful series leads MANY, MANY people to Christ. I pray that everyone who reads the book will be moved to salvation if they are not already saved. Pray for the lost to read this book!

Ok, so in its defense, this book was not nearly as bad as I had been told. I wanted to read it nonetheless, and did find the plot very unique and with promise. The actual story, however, was horrid. It was dull and expected, with no real surprises or creativity.

Worse of all, this story is less fiction than it is evangelical crap. The book does not actually try to tell a good story or even open the reader's mind to its creative narrative. No, it just steals a plot from the Bible (which was a million times better at telling a good story) and brings it into the 21st Century.

Sadly, I had hoped to be surprised, but I was just disappointed. Definately a waste of time and money.

I heard about this series and thought it would be a great read. I made it through serveral of the books, but did not finish the whole series.

I find it hard to pinpoint why I like or dislike a book, but for me this book was easy to put down and forget about. It just didn't hold my attention. While I did enjoy the basic storyline, it seemed predictable to me with no clever twists.

The core members of the soon to be created Tribulating Force seemed to be held in such high regards by the writer, but for me, they didn't ever transform from being just one dimentional characters in a book. Characters can come alive through the words of a good storyteller, but in this case, that didn't happen for me.

Still, I did enjoy the basic storyline and maybe at some point will try to pick up and read the remaining books of the series.

The first book in the series is intriguing, an interesting view of how the world might be at the beginning of the end. However, after reading the first 10 books in the series, I stopped. The dialog is terrible--outdated and wordy; the details about technology used to explain some action is tedious and the characters became comic book-like, not believable people. How the characters did so much world travel while the whole world of transportation from roads to cars to airplanes were abandoned or ruined was not handled well. The depiction of the Roman Catholic pope as a willing and duped participant against Jesus is disturbing.EMS

Once I read the first book of this series I was hooked! Thought provoking, and keeps you reading! My hope is that those that aren't Christians will be left wondering if they are going to be "Left Behind"

i bought this book as i had been given all most all of the series and this one was missing and i wanted to have the whole set. there are a few more i need to get as the ones missing are the beginning ones

I'm not an avid reader, however, this whole series is one of the best I've EVER read. I've read the whole series TWICE ! They are an easy read, and in my opinion, one of the best fictional series ever.

I read the entire Left Behind series last year. I loved it. It is a form of translation of The Revelations in the Bible. Many don't understand Revelations. This is an opportunity to get that understanding. There were a couple of books that were difficult to read ~ only because of the events that were happening. The Great Tribulation is going to be a very difficult time period for those Left Behind. It's the war between Satan and God. Just as in the days of Noah ~ many don't believe. Satan is the great deceiver. So many have taken a stand saying that it's all about what religion a person is - not true. We celebrate Christmas because the son of God was born to save the world from sin we inherited from Adam & Eve. The world has tried to change it to being all about Santa. On Easter we celebrate that Jesus died for our sins (in payment for the inherited sin) and was resurrected. And here the world has tried to make it about the Easter Bunny. God says that if we believe on Jesus, the son of God, and ask him into our hearts we will be saved. God made it that easy. God keeps his promises and he doesn't lie. He also gives us the freedom of choice. The Bible tells who wins the war. There is no surprise. God wins. Some ask, what if it's wrong. My question is ~ what if it isn't wrong? Here's the choice: Eternity in Heaven or in Hell. Hell doesn't sound too good. Not a fun place to be. The Left Behind series books tell about all the happenings during the Great Tribulation. It's a page turn-er, for sure. A must read for everyone. Decide for yourself. It's always best to be informed when making serious decisions.

I initally purchased this book out of curiousity. I am a devout reader and have difficulty understanding prophecy at times so I decided I would get another viwepoint on it. I absolutely could not put this book down! The book is so well written, and while it is only one view point of the possibities of the end time, it was absolutely eye opening. This book was an introduction to the series for me and I am still reading!

Left Behind is a must read for the book lover.
I have read all but the last two in the series and each time couldn't wait for the next one to come on the press.
Based on the writers' imagination of what the end times will be like as told in the Bible book of Revelations.
Even if you don't usually read religious or Christian books, I highly recommend this series beginning with the 1st one 'Left Behind'.
ltwgifts

Ghost House by Robert Frost (1874 - 1963)

I DWELL in a lonely house I know
That vanished many a summer ago,
And left no trace but the cellar walls,
And a cellar in which the daylight falls,
And the purple-stemmed wild raspberries grow.

O'er ruined fences the grape-vines shield
The woods come back to the mowing field;
The orchard tree has grown one copse
Of new wood and old where the woodpecker chops;
The footpath down to the well is healed.

I dwell with a strangely aching heart
In that vanished abode there far apart
On that disused and forgotten road
That has no dust-bath now for the toad.
Night comes; the black bats tumble and dart;

The whippoorwill is coming to shout
And hush and cluck and flutter about:
I hear him begin far enough away
Full many a time to say his say
Before he arrives to say it out.

It is under the small, dim, summer star.
I know not who these mute folk are
Who share the unlit place with me--
Those stones out under the low-limbed tree
Doubtless bear names that the mosses mar.

They are tireless folk, but slow and sad,
Though two, close-keeping, are lass and lad, --
With none among them that ever sings,
And yet, in view of how many things,
As sweet companions as might be had.

God is my favorite fictional character! I liked this book a lot, because it was scary! I can't wait to see what God will do next!

This is not a book that I would recommend to anyone. For starters, the book is poorly written. The book could be considerably condensed and it would be an improvement. The dialog is not believable and in my opinion it is pretty mediocre.

I also think there is a danger in the way that prophecy is interpreted throughout this series of books (not just the first one.) There are so many places in which the prophecy of Revelation gives us limited information, so the authors of this book have had to “fill in the gaps” with their own guesswork to make the story work. There are other places in which the prophecy of Revelation is totally clear, yet plot intricacies in this series contradict it. For anyone who wants to learn and understand the prophecy of Revelation, I would recommend that they just read the book of Revelation in the Bible and skip this book all together. (The book of Daniel is applicable reading too, as are some of the minor prophets- Zephania, Zechariah, etc.)

Having said all that, I don’t think the book is entirely valueless; it is actually quite thought provoking. If you do decide to read this series, I definitely recommend that you keep a Bible handy to refer to as you go.

This book is also the best of the ones in the series that I have read; it pretty much goes downhill from here. The others in my opinion are even more rushed, wordy, and poorly written. I wish I hadn't wasted my time on this book!

Would I recommend this book? Ohhhhhhhhhh YEAH! Take it from someone who rarely finishes a book without getting bored - I not only finished this ....and LOVED it, but, I have read {so far} - 8 of this fabulous series! It is written in such a way that you can not wait to hear what is going to happen next to these characters! It's written for regular people....like you and me.
Before reading this book, I tried to read the Bible and it just would go over my head. Revelations was just so hard for me to understand. This book makes it come alive and you can totally relate to the characters and how things will unfold. Do yourself an incredible favor; open your heart and mind and READ THIS BOOK!
See You in HEAVEN!!

I purchased Left Behind Books 1 and 2 for next to nothing at a Used Furniture Store. I never thought I would like these books, never having been a real church-goer and never even hearing about the series.

From the time I started reading Book 1...I was hooked. These books give an insight into the Bible and it's truth. It's not like somebody preaching at you. They are great books with great characters and a wonderful story line as to how the end could actually happen.

These books have such a great story and connection between reader and characters you will laugh, cry and rejoice as the characters do. These authors are excellent and I highly recommend anything they have written!